


Liquid Gold

by StarlightGilgalad



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Vampire History, Various Mythologies, Various Religions, immortal child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-12-25 21:06:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarlightGilgalad/pseuds/StarlightGilgalad
Summary: Hiding and wary of her red eyed brethren, Starlight was the first Vampire created, very different from the current kind. Come along as her story unfolds through the eras and the lost history of Vampires is retold.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is crossposted from Fanfiction and will be updated as the old chapters get rewritten. It contains various religions and mythologies and each one is treated as if the stories are true, if inaccurate. Token gods and goddesses, kings and queens, and influential historical figures will make their appearance. The main history starts of based in Christian theology with more humanized and (hopefully) relatable characters, branching off into other major and minor theologies as well as various myths and legends from around the world, and eventually making it's way into well recorded ancient and modern history. As it does follow an original character who slightly influences real world history, creative liberties have obviously been taken and any inconstancies in history and be blamed on that. Enjoy!

She crouched down, looking at the ground. The beginnings of winter had just started to hit. It was too early for snow, but not late enough for the hibernation season. She was hoping there were still a few bears around. Silently standing up, she glided forward, following her nose.  _ Grizzly _ . She grinned and, following the scent east, she started to run. Upon catching sight of her prey, she sped up. Hurtling out of the sunset, her red hair whipping in the wind, a fierce expression on her olive face, she was a force to be reckoned with. 

That is, she  _ would _ have been if she hadn’t collided with an equally dangerous force. The resulting boom would have been deafening to human ears. As it was, she was only mildly disoriented, but for her, mildly was too much. The sum of her experiences had made her overly cautious. Sinking into a defensive crouch she held back a fierce growl. Her opponent, however, had no such reservations. The huge male was just about to attack when another voice entered the picture.    
  


“Emmett!”   
  


The massive man blinked and stopped. Frowning he took a good look at her. He straightened, as six others joined him. She remained in her position and regarded the newcomers warily. Outnumbered and definitely outmatched, she waited.   
  


A blonde man stepped forward, hands raised in reassurance.  “Hello.” His voice was soft and, while he couldn’t disguise his wariness, the note of awe and confused intrigue was palpable. “Don’t be afraid. We won’t hurt you.” He smiled, and for some reason she couldn’t quite place, decided to trust him. Perhaps it was because his eyes were a soft golden color instead of the usual bloody red, or maybe it was the way he stood, open and unthreatening. Whatever the reason, she slowly stood up, carefully keeping the group well within her sights.   
  


“My name is Carlisle Cullen. This is my family. What’s your name?” His voice was kind and slow, as if he was talking to a frightened animal- which, in a sense, he was.   
  


“Carlisle!” She jumped at the sound of the sudden voice, her muscles tensed and ready for flight. One of the females, the blonde one, was speaking. “She’s an immortal child!”   
  


“Yes.” The first speaker, Carlisle, clearly the group’s leader, murmured. “That may be true. But I think an explanation is in order. Look at the color of her eyes.” He slowly turned back to face her. “What’s your name?” he repeated. 

  
She hesitated, not willing to give a name, but somehow desperately wanting to. It’s been so long since she’d exchanged a friendly word with others like her.   
  


“I don’t think she can talk.” The huge one, Emmett, grinned. “She doesn’t look very dangerous.”   
  


She tilted her head slightly. “I can talk.” Her melodic voice was high and pure, the voice of a child. She had an unplaceable accent, and it gave her voice an odd edge. “And I assure you, I am indeed  _ very _ dangerous.” Her brass eyes flared minutely with the last statement, causing the other to shift uneasily. They were taken aback at the odd figure before them. Most people were. “My name is… Starlight.” She smiled.   
  


Carlisle quickly recovered himself. “Hello Starlight. This is my wife Esme, and my children Emmett and Rosalie, Alice and Jasper, and Edward.” He gestured to each in turn. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”   
  


She nodded. “Likewise. I haven’t seen any of our kind with golden eyes in a  _ very _ long time.”   
  


“How old are you Sweetie? Physically you look about five...” Esme asked, a slight furrow between her eyes.   
  


Starlight’s eyes glanced upwards. The sun had dipped below the horizon and a bank of clouds was moving in from the northeast. The darkening sky was quickly obscured as she cast her mind back through time, looking for her earliest memory. She remembered it well, but took her time, enjoying the long recollections she had stored in her mind.   
  


The beginning of the nineteenth century, the Renaissance, medieval Europe, ancient Rome, a weeping mother, legions of soldiers, a young man’s smiling face, the long trek through the desert, two boys playing in a river, Pyramids, swimming across a body of water, sitting in a wagon, looking up at a falling tower, talking with two scaly dragons, running from a horde of Red Eyes, laughing with her friends, handing the hunters a deer, living in a beautiful garden, talking with a nice man. Finally she came to the first thing she remembered. A cool breeze on her face, a voice telling her to open her eyes, the face of the nice man smiling at her, and the words, “Your name is Starlight.”    
  


Her burnished eyes lighten slightly as her gaze flicked back to seven people watching her. “I don’t know. Very old.”   
  


The one with bronze hair, Edward, was staring at her in open disbelief. He turned to Carlisle. “She’s…  _ old _ . The oldest I’ve ever seen. She may very well be… the first…?”   
  


They all stared at her once again, a range of emotions flickering between them. “Starlight, would you like to come back with us to our house? We maintain a semi permanent residence in the area. You would be more than welcome!” Carlisle extended the invitation.   
  


“Thank you, but I’m a little overwhelmed with the size of your family. I want to trust you but I’m afraid can’t just yet. I am after all, an immortal child.” Her voice had adopted a bitter tone and she laughed sardonically.   
  


“Of course. But if you change your mind, I can promise we won’t turn you in. At least not before hearing your story. I personally don’t think that rule shouldn’t apply to you but others would disagree.”   
  


“Thanks,” she muttered, and looked at the strange family. If she could just get them to listen and not turn her in, it would satisfy her need for someone to know the important history of their kind and also her more personal desire for company. “Maybe-” She hesitated as the first flakes of snow started drifting down. “Maybe I could stay. Just for a short while.”   
  


“Wonderful. If you’d like to finish hunting, you’re more than welcome to. Unfortunately that grizzly seems to have run off. Emmett,” Carlisle turned to his son who was grinning. “Why don’t you let Starlight take this one.”   
  


“I doubt she can! It was a big one!” Emmett laughed and crossed his arms. The large flakes of snow started settling on his hair and shoulders and he shook them off with a grin.   
  


“Fifty bucks says she can!” the one called Jasper said.   
  


“I’m with Jazz on this one,” Edward raised his eyebrows and pointedly avoided looking at the shortest adult, Alice, who was in turn pointedly trying not to smile.   
  


“Deal!” Emmett exclaimed. “She’s old! You said it yourself! Meaning no more newborn strength!”   
  


Jasper and Edward exchanged a look. “Immortal child!” Edward countered. “They’re worse than newborns.”   
  


The child in question leveled a playful glare at them and grinned. “A thousand says I get it in less than five minutes.”   
  


Emmett’s grin widened, “You’re on kid!”   
  


Starlight cocked her head and listened intently. The snow had almost entirely covered her red hair and she cut an odd figure with her olive skin. After a brief pause, she suddenly took off running. The others followed at a respectful distance and watched, while the boys nudged and ribbed each other. It had started snowing heavily, but she could still smell the grizzly. She’d tracked it several miles and had it cornered and cowed in two minutes and twenty-eight seconds. The boys looked on, thoroughly impressed with the show. She may have amped up the theatrical effect a fair amount, but honestly, it’d been so long since she’d really been able to show off her skills without revealing herself that a little drama could be overlooked.   
  


Within four minutes the bear was dead and drained. She gave a enigmatic bow to cover the mischievous smile that had slipped onto her face as everyone applauded her, including Emmett. His thunderous claps brought piles of snow cascading down from the surrounding branches and he didn’t look disappointed to have lost the bet in the least.

 

“Looks like someone owes me a thousand bucks,” she crossed her arms and consciously tried to hold back the sense of camaraderie that was so easy to slip into with these people. It wouldn’t do to fall into a false sense of security. Even the fact that she was engaging with this coven at all alarmed her, but she couldn’t block out the longing in her heart. Shaking her head, Starlight raised an eyebrow (which looked very comical on such a young face) and gestured to for the others to lead the way.   
  


On the short trip to the Cullen’s house, Starlight was still surprised they managed to keep a semi-permanent residence, Emmett broke off from the group to hunt when he caught the scent of a pair of deer. He quickly rejoined them soon after, his eyes a pleasant honey gold, same as her own. Once the odd group came in sight of the house, Starlight abruptly stopped and gasped. The structure was almost entirely made out of glass and beautifully designed. The lamps inside cast a yellow aura on the falling snow and lit up the whole clearing with a cheery glow. The sight filled her with warmth and she once again had to push the feeling down.   
  


“ _ Wow _ !” She commented, looking up at the structure in awe. “Nice house!”   
  


“Esme designed it.” The short black haired pixie, Alice, smiled proudly. “You don’t mind if I take you shopping later do you?” Without waiting for an answer she turned to the blonde and continued, “Rose, Seattle? Or Olympia?”   
  


Rosalie looked the five-year-old up and down. “Olympia. She needs it.”   
  


The little girl turned to the males with an expression of alarm. She glanced at Carlisle who took pity on her and intervened. “Alice...” he warned. The pixie pouted and rolled her eyes, but then smiled encouragingly at the little girl.   
  


“It’s alright,” Starlight mumbled, after seeing the girl’s ernest faces. Once her shock had worn off she frowned, “Just don’t put me in stupid cute looking clothes!” For some reason Emmett’s loud bark of laughter didn’t bother her anymore. She shrugged off the thought and followed everyone into the house.    
  


"So Starlight, I've noticed that your eyes are the same color as ours," Carlisle began as the family began to fine their seats in the living room. "Do you by any chance hunt animals?"   
  


"Yes, I do," The child replied. She’d perched on the arm of the sofa closest to the door. "Humans taste disgusting and they don't smell appetizing in the least!"   
  


"Really?" Jasper frowned. "That is strange." The derision he felt coming off her backed up her feelings on the statement.   
  


"Not really," Starlight shrugged. "We're not supposed to drink humans. Animals are our natural diet."   
  


"But, how is that possible? Newborns-"   
  


She quickly cut Jasper off. "It's... my fault really. An error in judgment. A mutation, if you will." The family frowned at her in confusion, and she continued, "If you'll allow me to tell my story, you will understand."   
  


Carlisle nodded and leaned back in his chair. "By all means. Take as long as you need."   
  


The little redheaded girl smiled, her golden eyes twinkling. "Thank you.  _ As I came into being, my first recollection was of being suspended in a vast nothingness _ ," she began her tale.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starlight begins her tale.

As I came into being, my first recollection was of being suspended in a vast nothingness, only my sense of self to indicate I existed at all. Then I became aware of sensations in the darkness. I felt a warmth on my face, and the soft caress of a summer breeze on my cheeks. Beneath me the ground was soft, and small blades of uncut grass tickled my back. The sound of the air on my face suddenly registered with my ears, then another sound, and another. As the symphony of the world came crashing down around me, I heard the wind now rustling through the trees overhead. Farther away I heard the soft pattering footfalls of an animal off in the distance, and the incessant bubbling of a stream. High above me in the dark I could hear the whooshing of the air and swear to this day that I heard the clouds themselves tumbling across the sky. I took it all in and then became aware of the  _ smells _ .

 

The breeze was fresh and filled with the various scents of life. I could smell many different flowers and fruits, and the hazy overlay of recent summer rain. The air was so clean, not a single trace of pollution, and I could almost smell the very time of day. At the time, I didn’t know what any of the things I was experiencing were, just that everything… was. As I'm sure you can imagine, it was very disorienting. It was all so new and exciting. I could feel the fresh earth beneath my back and the sun on my face. The wind was warm and everything just... simply...  _ Was _ .    
  


Then I heard a voice. It was the sweetest, strongest, most compelling voice I have ever heard. It was filled with compassion, joy, and love. It filled me with intense emotions, and I wanted to cry and laugh and shout for joy all at once! And it said to me, "Open your eyes."   
  


So I immediately did exactly that, and it was better than a blind man suddenly being able to see. The colors were brighter, details were sharper, and the whole entire world was suddenly a real tangible thing. I looked at his (and I use the term “he” loosely, the figure before me didn’t have a gender, but most of the people I would later encounter referred to “him” as such. So, as not to be overly political and for the sake of convenience, I’ll do likewise) face and felt so small. All the words in the world couldn't do him justice. His eyes were a shifting rainbow of colors, sparkling and changing from moment to moment, and held an expression of excitement and childlike pride. Since I first looked into those eyes, I’ve never been able to forget the feeling of safely that washed over me. One thing I can say however, was that he seemed to radiate a light that I just couldn't pin down. When I looked away, I could see it in the edges of my vision and it was blinding, but when I looked back it was gone and yet still there somehow.   
  


As I gazed at him, he smiled and said, "Your name is Starlight. You are special. Stand up child." As I got to my feet he nodded and gestured to the surrounding land. I looked around in wonder and saw hundreds of trees laden with fruit and flowers, berry covered bushes, and wild grass. A stream wound its way through the foliage and colorful birds sang overhead. I could see the blue sky through the leaves and the sunbeams filtering down onto the ground. Small creatures darted around both on the ground and in the treetops, calling to each other with various short chirping noises. There was so much to take in and I almost became overwhelmed, but as I turned back and looked up at him, I smiled.   
  


"This is your home child. You may go anywhere you wish. See the trees? They are filled with delicious fruits. You may eat as many as you like. And the animals, their blood is for you." He held out his hand. I took it, and as we wandered through the paradise he started telling me what everything was. Every time we’d encounter something new, he’d stop and point it out, giving me some type of interesting fact about it. I learned of all the animals and their names, and of all the different plants and colors and many other things. Then I asked, "If my name is Starlight, what shall I call you?"   
  


"Teacher," he smiled.   
  


Soon we came to a small clearing. A man and women were lounging by the banks of the stream. The far bank was hidden by reeds and dragonflies darted around the area. She had her hand in the water and flicked some droplets onto the man. He laughed and splashed her back. Looking in our direction she sat up. "Father!"    
  


The man looked over and the two of them stood up. "Father, it is good to see you!"   
  


"Hello children. I have brought you a companion. Her name is Starlight." Teacher nodded towards the two saying. "Starlight, this is Adam. He will be your Father. This is Eve, she will be your Mother. They will look after you."   
  


"Hello," I waved shyly at them. Eve smiled at me and I could tell she was excited to see someone new. Looking back, I suppose it made sense. As I grew to know them, I’d always been closer to Eve and understood her better than Adam. We had the same passion for discovery and new things and quickly bonded over it. Adam was also an extremely curious person, but his curiosity had an unhealthy passive edge to it. He had a habit of standing by to watch things happen, regardless of what he expected the outcome to be or if it should be prevented. Eve also had her own shortcomings. She had a vast amount of patience, but after it ran out, she had no more tolerance for things. She had the ability to look at a situation from all angles, but tended to focus more on some facts than others. These traits wouldn’t have been much of an issue, nor would Adam’s faults, if it hadn’t been for the sad fact that the two just didn’t work well together. Their unique personality quirks, which at first had seemed endearing, ended up causing friction between them, leading to arguments and bitter grudges. Of course I knew none of this to start with and was intrigued at the prospect of getting to know them. 

 

Teacher nodded at them and gently nudged me forward. I frowned as a thought suddenly struck me. "Teacher?"   
  


"Yes child?"    
  


"Are you leaving now?" My brow furrowed. I didn’t want to let go of the sense of safety I felt around him.   
  


He looked at me with rueful condolence and raised a hand to the back of his neck. "I'm afraid I must."   
  


"Will you come back?"    
  


"Of course child!” he grinned and ruffled my fiery hair.    
  


Hearing this, I nodded with a happy smile and ran to my new Mother and Father. "Good bye Teacher!" I called.   
  


"Goodbye children. Until we meet again!" We all waved and Teacher walked back the way he had come.   
  


I turned my full attention to my new family, “Hello Father. Hello Mother!"  I was unsure of what I was supposed to do, so I just stood there, my hands hanging lamely at my sides.   
  


"Hello Starlight," Eve smiled at me, bending down to my level and peering into my face. "You are very pretty. Your eyes are like gold." Her complexion was darker than Adam’s, a sort of mid hued coffee color. Her hair and eyes were both brown and when the caught in the sun, both had brassy undertones, through her eyes also held glints of a yellowy green.   
  


"Yes," Adam agreed. His voice was deeper, a rich baritone, and held a note of avid intrigue. His hair was black and he also had brown eyes but his were much darker than Eve’s. "Hello Starlight. Tell us, do you always sparkle like this?" He reached out a hand to touch my cheek, and while his touch wasn’t rough, I still didn’t quite feel comfortable with the close proximity to these new people.    
  


"No,” I took a step back out of the direct sunlight (and his reach) and shook my head. “Only in the sun."   
  


"I see.” He dropped his hand and cocked his head, “What did Father tell you?" He and Eve sat down again and motioned for me to join them.   
  


"He told me of all the things in the world and their names,” I said as I sat down. Eve opened her arms and gently pulled me into her lap. I didn’t resist, though I was still slightly tense. I soon realized when my attention was captured by one of the iridescent bugs. It had landed on my knee and I stroked a finger along it’s back, fascinated as it’s wings fluttered.    
  


"Did he tell you what you are?"   
  


"I’m not sure what you mean,” I frowned. The bug started to hover again, it’s wings beating rapidly. “He said my name is Starlight. That's it, why?" I looked up at him as the bug flew off to join it’s friends.   
  


"Because it is my job to name all the things on this earth. I think it shall name you... Lucian. It means light."    
  


"Like Starlight!" I giggled. For some reason the title made me immensely pleased.   
  


"Yes. Like Starlight!" he agreed and reached over playfully to ruffle my hair as Teacher had done.   
  


"If I'm a Lucian, then what are you?" I shook my head to settle my hair and Eve huffed as it hit her in the face. She ran her fingers through the errant locks to smooth them down.   
  


"We are Humans,” Adam said bit proudly, like a child stating his age. “It is our job to take care of the earth."   
  


I looked around at the lush paradise in wonder. This place was huge and it wasn’t even the whole earth! I looked up at Eve and then fixed Adam with an intense look. "What is my job?"   
  


"Your job is to help us," Adam grinned. "Come, feel the water. It is nice."

  
  


 

I stayed with them from then on. We explored the garden and I made friends with some of the more friendlier animals. Teacher would come to visit everyday and would teach me new things. I had so many questions. Many of them I would ask Adam or Eve, and if they didn’t know I would ask Teacher. Through talking with Teacher, I learned a lot about how everything worked, including science. The terms were different, but I understood the basic concepts of the universe. He warned me that not everyone would be accepting of the knowledge and that sometimes I needed to recognize what’s worth my effort and what isn’t. It wasn’t until much later that I understood what he meant.   
  


One day I was climbing my favorite tree when a little green serpent approached me. "Hello Serpent!" I called, preparing to jump from the branch I was on.   
  


"Hello. What are you doing?" It asked as I flew from one branch to another. It kept pace with me on the ground easily enough.   
  


"I'm swinging like the Monkeys. What are you doing?" I shot back. I didn’t like this particular serpent much. It was different from the others. Usually they just minded their own business and liked to sun themselves on rocks or slither about looking for cool places to hide. Some were curious, but none of them overly so. This one was very nosey and  _ very _ annoying.   
  


"I just talked with Eve."   
  


"Did you?” I didn’t bother to conceal the distaste in my voice. “What did she say?"   
  


"I asked her why your  _ Teacher _ ,” it sneered the word, “forbade them from eating fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden. The big one with the special fruit. You’ve eaten it, haven’t you? She said your Teacher told them they would die. But of course he lied. She ate the fruit and she didn't die. Neither did Adam..." it hissed in mockery.   
  


"What?!” I almost fell out of the tree at it’s admission. "Why did they disobey Teacher? And I actually haven’t eaten it for your information! It smells funny." That- that was unthinkable. Why? There was no reason to do so. What could possibly have induced them to-   
  


"I expect they had realized he had lied," the serpent’s voice was filled with derision.    
  


"No.” My tone was final. “Teacher doesn’t lie. He doesn’t need to. Now they will die. Oh Mother! Oh Father!" I jumped from the tree and ran back to our main clearing as fast as I could. That serpent! As I ran, I was enveloped with a new emotion- rage. My ire mounted the more I thought about the situation and it seemed to battle for dominance the worry and bewilderment towards my family. Why?  _ Why? _ I didn’t understand… As I neared, I hear the sound of arguing voices. "Mother! Father!" I called, a bit desperately to be honest.   
  


"Starlight!" A broken voice resounded from the bushes.   
  


"Mother?" I came to an abrupt halt and glanced around anxiously.   
  


"Starlight come here! You are naked!" Eve reprimanded. The bush she was in shook slightly as a hand popped out and waved me over.   
  


"So? I don’t care! Mother tell me you two did not eat the fruit! The Serpent said you did!" I crossed my arms.   
  


"We did,” came the ashamed reply.   
  


"Why?"   
  


"He tricked me!” Eve huffed angrily. “The Serpent said Father knew that if we eat the fruit, we would be like him. And Adam was no help at all!  _ He _ was RIGHT THERE and didn’t even say anything against the Serpent! I ate some and nothing happened, then I handed Adam the rest and he didn’t have to eat it- no he didn’t! -but he did, and then our eyes were opened and now he blames me for giving it to him! I didn’t know anything would happen if he ate it, seeing as nothing happened after I ate it! It wasn’t until after HE ate it that anything happened at all! And I now realize that nothing happened because Father told ADAM that  _ he _ couldn’t eat it, and never said anything to me. It was ADAM that told me I couldn't eat it, not Father!"

 

“The rule applied to both of us! And you know it!” Adam countered, hostility coloring his tone.

 

“I know it NOW! You didn’t even try to stop me from eating it! You wanted to see what would happen, and after nothing did, you thought you’d be able to get away with it! You’ve always been this way, I just couldn’t see it before! You KNEW it wasn’t allowed and did it anyway! I had a vague idea that it wasn’t allowed only because you said it wasn’t! I wasn’t even created yet when he told you that!”

 

“You should have known!” Adam yelled. “I told you it wasn’t allowed and you did it anyway! You’re just like  _ her _ !” I wasn’t sure which ‘ _ her’  _ he was talking about, I was the only other ‘ _ her _ ’ here and I felt a stab of hurt. His last comment effectively silenced Eve, who also seemed confused. I later learned that he hadn’t been talking about me but about his first wife. I was never quite clear on what happened there, but apparently she’d refused to sleep with him- and good on her! Adam was a stuck up prick anyway so no loss there. Eve soon found her voice again and it was evident that she was holding back tears.

 

“I didn’t know what I was doing before! I didn’t know what wrong even WAS until after you ate the damn fruit! Don’t pin this on me! Yes, I shouldn’t have done it, but you didn’t even try to stop me! Why didn’t you at least TRY? You just stood there and watched me make a monumental mistake and didn’t say anything!” Eve was crying by this point, and I was understandably very upset. I’d never heard either of them raise their voices at each other before. I started to approach the bushes they were hiding in when I heard a voice calling for them.   
  


"Adam! Eve! Where are you children?" Teacher walked into the clearing and looked around. "Hello Starlight. Where are-"   
  


"In the bushes," I gestured a bit helplessly with a shrug. "They... won't come out."   
  


"Adam?" Teacher’s voice was full of concern. “Are you alright? Why are you hiding?”   
  


"I heard you in the garden. I am naked, so I hid," Adam replied from inside the bushes, his voice full of shame.   
  


"Who told you that you were naked?" Teacher asked perplexed. He looked at me. I shook my head. "Did you eat from the tree I told you not to?"   
  


"It was Eve's fault! She gave it to me!" Adam protested.   
  


"It was that Serpent! He tricked me! And Adam just watched it happen and did nothing!" Eve countered.   
  


"Where is this Serpent?" Teacher asked.    
  


"I saw him by my favorite tree,” I said angrily. “He told me of what had happened. He said you had lied about the tree. I think  _ he _ was the one who lied!"    
  


"Serpent! Come here!" Teacher commanded. The Serpent came. I watched with a fair amount of vindictive satisfaction as Teacher cursed him. Then I grew alarmed when he turned to my family with displeasure and a shocking amount anger, and cast Mother and Father out of the garden. They stumbled fearfully out, hands trying to conceal their nakedness. He mumbled to himself about how he shouldn’t have made them so inquisitive or at least not set them such an impossible task, and I realized he wasn’t angry at them, he was angry at himself. “Another mistake… apparently I’m just not good at matchmaking.”   
  


"Teacher?” I felt very small in that moment and my voice was barely a whisper. "Must I go too?"   
  


"No child. You may stay. But be warned by all that has happened." He shook his head and passed a hand over his eyes. I could have sworn they were a little too shiny not be holding back tears. His voice remained steady though, so I refrained from commenting.   
  


"Yes Teacher. May I go with Mother and Father, but still return to the Garden?" I pleaded, hope evident in my eyes.   
  


Teacher looked at me and smiled. "Since I see your heart is good, I will allow you to do this. But if you bring anything from this garden with you whenever you leave, you will not be allowed to return. Go in peace and help your Mother and Father."   
  


"Yes Teacher. Thank you!" I hugged him and ran after my parents. "Mother! Father! Wait for me!" As we left the garden I saw an angel take up a post at the gates. He had a flaming sword that cast a brilliant beam of light from the tip. He began waving it around his head creating a shield of light around the entire garden, prohibiting anything from getting back inside.   
  


On that first day, we set up a camp. Adam built a fire and Eve made a bed from bits of moss she had gathered from the trees. They were both still angry at each other. We decided we needed to go hunting. Adam tried tracking but failed miserably. Even Eve was better at it than him, but she was nowhere as good as me. I went hunting on my own to avoid hearing their snide comments at each other. Never before had I truly wanted to be away from their company, and it was an unsettling feeling. I loved them dearly, regardless of their faults, and just wanted things to be as they were before. I approached the area near the garden and found a good tree to sit in. In the distance I could see the glowing dome peeking through the tops of the trees. 

 

I reviewed the days events and tried to reconcile the disappointment I felt towards my family. I still couldn’t understand why they’d done it. The garden was amazing, why do anything to risk losing the only home they’d ever known, a near perfect one at that? There were several things that bothered me. Why had the serpent thought I’d tried that blasted fruit? It smelled intoxicatingly sweet and was so strong that I usually avoided the area so as not to feel nauseous. How could they have possibly eaten it when it was so strong? How could they have _ stomached  _ it? And another thing- who had Adam been talking about? Realistically I knew it probably wasn’t me, he’d never voiced any concerns about me. And what did Teacher mean? Matchmaking? The questions swirled tauntingly around my head and I had no answers. 

 

My reflections were cut short then a rumble came from my midsection. I sighed and hoped down from the tree as the sun started to near the horizon. I caught the scent of a herd of deer a few miles away and darted forward. After carefully snagging one, I found a good place to watch the sunset and drink. I sat there for a while and traced the orange and purple clouds across the sky. It soon grew dark, and with a heavy heart I returned to the camp with the deer, drained and ready to be skinned.   
  


Wordlessly, I offered my family the deer. I helped them build a fire and they ate the meat in tense silence and went to sleep. I kept watch in the night, guarding the camp from wild animals. Life went on from there as well as could be expected. Their relationship slowly got better over time, but it was never fully repaired itself. Adam forever blamed Eve for his own mistake, and Eve never forgave Adam for it. They had more children, Humans, and eventually they grew old and died. Teacher had made other Humans by then and Eve’s children each made families of their own. Their descendants built villages and soon more Humans were born and cities sprung up here and there over time, and I… I would go visit the garden as often as I could. I’d stay there for years at a time, to avoid some of the more mean spirited Humans. I couldn’t understand why anyone was discontent, but I carefully observed the world and events that followed and eventually learned to trace problems back to their source and I felt pity for them. This sparked questions about myself, and there were those that I could not answer, no matter how hard I thought. These questions I would as Teacher, as he alone I could trust to give an unbiased answer.    
  


One time I asked him about why he allowed such terrible people with terrible motivations to exist. He replied that Humans had cursed themselves with the knowledge of right and wrong, and that it was up to each individual to choose what they did with the knowledge. On another occasion I asked Teacher a burning question I had been thinking of for a while. "Teacher," I said. "Why is it that all living things have others of their kind, Humans each have a mate, and all the other Animals have a mate, but I don't?"   
  


Then Teacher told me, "You have the power to choose your own mate. You can mark Humans to become like you, fast and strong, and live side by side with the Humans. But choose wisely, for not everyone would appreciate such an opportunity and they all bring their own trouble with them."   
  


When I left the garden next, his words were at the forefront of my thought. I’d made several friends over the years, happy souls with similar values. My most recent friend was a young girl of fifteen. Her family were farmers and she wanted nothing more than to leave her household and go exploring with me. I stopped by her home, intending to tell her the news. "Lily!" I knocked on the door. "It's me, Starlight!"   
  


"Hello Starlight!" Lily laughed as she open the door. Her family hadn’t come in from the fields just yet, and she was tending to their dinner alone. "What brought you to my home at this time of day?" 

 

I looked at the setting sun and laughed. "For you it is late, but for me it never gets late! Lily, guess what Teacher told me today!"   
  


"What?" Lily waved me inside with an amused smile and we sat down in front of the hearth. Lily was one of the nicer Humans, who wasn’t as touched by the evils of the world. She had a kind heart and always made time for me.   
  


"Well, you know how everything has others of its kind, but I don't? Guess what!" I grinned. "Teacher says I can choose others to become like me! Anyone I want! Isn't that great?"   
  


"My! It most certainly is!" Lily agreed as she stirred the meal. "Who will you pick?"   
  


"Well, I was thinking maybe you would like to join me…?" I hesitated, hoping I hadn’t overstepped.

 

"Oh Starlight!” Her wide eyes shined with excitement. She shifted to face me, the meal forgotten. “I would like nothing better! How does it work?"   
  


"Well... I have to mark you." I leaned closer, tilting my head in question.   
  


"Oh well, go ahead. It's alright with me!" Lily laughed.   
  


I nodded and embraced her. "Thank you Lily!" I buried my face in her shoulder and gently bit her neck. Her blood tasted disgusting and I pulled back, wiping my mouth with a grimace.   
  


She shivered for a few seconds before falling forward. My eyes grew wide in alarm but I deftly caught her and carried her to her bed. Her eyes were shut but moved underneath her lids as if she were dreaming. Luckily it only lasted for a few more moments, and I watched amazed as drastic changes took place. Her skin smoothed out, her hair became fuller and her face turned even more beautiful.    
  


About a minute after I had bitten her, she open her eyes. "Wow!" She gasped, testing out her new improved senses, much like I had at first. Her nose wrinkled as she caught the early scent of burning food. I watched as her eyes darted around the room and a brilliant smile spread across her face. She finally looked at me with an intense gaze.   
  


"Lily?"   
  


"Star! Is this what everything feels like to you?"   
  


"Yes," I laughed. "And that isn't even half of it! Come on! Let me show you!" Before I took her outside, she grabbed the pot off the hearth and set it out for her family. I grabbed her hand and we raced to a nearby lake I knew of, whooping in childlike joy.    
  


She approached the water tentatively and gazed at her reflection in awe. "Star, this is amazing!" She turned and took my hands in hers. “Thank you!”   
  


"Yes, yes it is! And you’re welcome," I said looking up at the stars. She cast her eyes upwards and even though I wasn’t looking, I knew her smile had gotten wider. I closed my eyes and murmured, "Thank you Teacher.” 

 

I finally had a proper friend!


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starlight makes new friends and her mistake is revealed.

Lily and I grew to be the best of friends. Luckily, her family wasn’t bitter about the new changes she’d experienced, but her father was distraught that she’d no longer be able to marry. He’d been planning on pairing her with a neighboring farm’s young lad, but he was opened minded to other ways she could contribute. We’d had to get a little creative with the laws and customs of the Lucians, seeing as at the moment there were only two of us, but he didn’t need to know that. After a long discussion with me, he finally agreed that Lily was now under my care - and it was certainly an interesting conversation! It was the first time I’d had dealings with any of the Humans outside my immediate family, and to say it was a trial would be putting it lightly. Lily’s father refused to take me seriously at first, and it was only after I’d demonstrated my skills and knocked him on his ass that he really started paying attention to my words. The display had left me with a bad feeling, I didn’t like the fact that the only language he understood was violence. It made me apprehensive of any future dealings with them, specifically the males. The female half of the family didn’t seem to appreciate violence at all and I realized it must be something about the way each side was socialized. The idea made an ugly feeling sit in the pit of my stomach but I pushed it away. The problems of their society were none of my concern. Instead I made arrangements for Lily and I to help out the local area in the food department.

 

Once a week we would go out with the hunters and help bring in that week's meat. We drained the animals and let the Humans take the rest. Everyone got the benefits and we ended up with a lot of free time, which we would spend either helping in other villages or making nuisances of ourselves, depending on our mood. We mainly associated with the children, but I couldn’t help overhearing the adults and their problems. There was so much drama going on between individuals, families, and villages that I honestly couldn’t see how they were ever happy. I’d hear of terrible developments, where jealousy and greed were the roots of many of the issues. Murder and slavery were becoming more common place and women had it rough. They’d been reduced to property and were sometimes treated worse than the animals. Young girls and boys were taken from their families and sold for horrible purposes. I did my best to help were I could, but I quickly realized that unless I could take the unfortunate person away, (and sometimes I did) my efforts didn’t amount to much. Theft and muggings were everyday occurrences and locks were the new hot commodity. Not that they did anyone much good. I’ve noticed that through the ages, every time someone develops a new security measure, someone else always finds a way to get through it.    
  


Nights were the worst. People would take advantage of the dim light and wreak havoc. Lily and I used the cover of night to go exploring. We claimed it was for educational purposes, mainly map making and such, which was entirely true, but we also had our own pursuits. Occasionally we’d go our separate ways. I would go to the Garden to talk with Teacher or scout out poor souls in need of aid, and Lily… Well, I didn't really ask what she did. But I did know there was a certain boy she liked to watch every time we would pass his village, and I had a feeling she’d found her mate. However, try as I might, no one seemed to strike  _ my _ interest. After a time I gave up looking and figured my mate would just show up eventually.    
  


One sunny afternoon I was swimming in my favorite lake, my bronzed skin glittering and attracting hungry fish, when Lily finally asked me to change her boy. I had seen them together and knew he was a good soul, so I agreed. His name was River, and he melded into our little group without trouble. He and Lily were perfect for each other. Most of the time they would go off on their own when it came time to explore, but I didn't mind. I’d made many other friends on my travels and most of them were overjoyed at the prospect of joining my misfit band. We all got along splendidly and more than half of them found their mate. Unfortunately, or fortunately as it later turned out, I was not among those who did. 

 

Years passed and our group grew in number. All of them had golden eyes, from the minute they first awakened into this life. However that soon changed. I admit it was my fault. I’d made an error in judgment that proved to be fatal. It all started when River's father became sick. He implored me to change his father, to save him. I had seen his father around the village and knew that he was very helpful and kind to his neighbors, so I agreed. His father was saved. What I did not know, however, was that he lent his money frequently and was swift to anger when someone could not repay him the moment he asked.   
  


So far as I know, he felt himself to be superior to Humans and went to collect what the borrowers owed. He must have been mentally unstable because when he found they could not pay him, he went into a rage. He killed whole families and, to spite them, he drank from them. Those he did not kill he turned.   
  


However it happened, the next time I saw him he had bright red eyes and a was flanked by a number of similar red eyed bodyguards. Shale, one of my foreign friends and I had come to investigate the rumors of death in the village. We found River’s father in the act of drinking one of his neighbors. Shale, who had been in an ill humored mood all day, lost his temper and flew at him. The man retaliated by ripping Shale to shreds. I looked on in horror at what I had caused and fled, seeing there was no hope for poor Shale. I ran home as fast as I could, making sure I wasn’t followed, and told Lily and River of what had happened. River was stricken by his father’s actions and at first refused to believe my story. It wasn’t until I took him back to see for himself that he finally broken down into tears. Incredulous that anyone would do such a thing, he immediately suggested that we round up our friends to confront the "Red Eyes" as soon as possible.   
  


I agreed, but once we had gathered some of our friends, we found that the group of Red Eyes had tripled in size. They claimed that humans were nothing compared to the splendor and glory of the Lucians. They gave us a choice, join or die. We all chose to fight. The battle quickly turned in favor of our enemy and we were forced to flee or be destroyed. Only five of us managed to escape. We set out to warn the rest of our friends. The next few decades were a nightmare, and as our numbers dwindled and the Red Eyes grew more confident, we were forced into hiding. I wasn’t able to visit the Garden anymore for fear of being tracked and ambushed. On my last visit I debated just staying there, but couldn’t bring myself to leave my friends in danger. Teacher told me he was planning on wiping out the Humans to begin again with a small number, for which I was glad. My remaining friends and I attempted to find good candidates to turn before they were all gone, but the world had become dark and there were none left that could be trusted. I would not make the same mistake again.

 

All too soon, the Red Eyes had destroyed everyone but Lily, River, and myself. They’d declared open war on our kind and sought to wipe us out, though they were unstable and fought amongst themselves. Their original leader was long gone, as were most of his predecessors. These bloodthirsty savages are what I would describe as modern day newborns.    
  


The day came when my friends and I had set up camp in a secure clearing far from where we thought the Red Eyes were looking. The sun had just started to set when we were attacked. We’d all vowed to flee at the first sign of danger and leave the others behind. We had to preserve our race at all costs. And so I ran. Lily and River didn't make it. The Red Eyes gave chase as soon as we had separated. I was fast- the fastest being on earth- and should have been able to outrun them easily, but I was tired and emotionally worn down. They were tireless and began gaining on me. This was just about the time Teacher planned to flood the earth. Unfortunately my enemy could swim and didn't need to breathe. The Garden and it's shield were too far away to be of any help, so I ran to the only other place I thought I might be safe.

  
I had heard a man by the name of Noah was building a boat on Teacher's orders. It was supposed to be big enough for every species of land animal. Could it possibly have room for me? There was only one way to find out. As much as I hated leading the Red Eyes to such a place, I had no choice. It was fight or flight, and I couldn't fight. I would be overwhelmed by their numbers before I even had time to think. There were hundreds of them blurring across the landscape and more kept joining the horde. I was desperate and just let the tears welling up in the corners of my eyes streak across my face as I ran.   
  


The sky had darkened and the smell of rain came in heavy on the breeze. I knew I had to get there before they closed the doors or I’d never make it in. I was still thirty miles out as the boat came into view, and I frantically increased my speed for the final leg of the race. "Please Teacher!" I screamed. "Please help me!"   
  


I reached the ship and leapt up onto the deck just as the doors were closing. "Wait!" I called desperately. "Please!" I stumbled through the gap only seconds before the heavy door slammed shut. I could hear the Red Eyes prowling around outside, but thankfully they couldn't seem to get onto the boat.   
  


"Oi! What are you doing?" The one of the men who'd been heaving the door closed asked in exasperation.   
  


"Please! Let me stay! The Red Eyes were chasing me! I have to save my race!" I pleaded almost delirious. I’m sure I looked crazy with my disheveled hair and wide eyes. I was panting not from lack of breath, but from anxiety and blinding panic, and I was terrified that they’d throw me out.   
  


They noticed my golden eyes and hesitated. Before they could make up their minds about shoving me back outside or not, another man with a grey-white beard hurried to us. "Let her stay!" He commanded. "The Lord has said she will."   
  


I collapsed in bleary relief whispering over and over, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"   
  


"I'm afraid we don't have anything for you to eat," he sighed and crouched down beside me.   
  


"It's alright,” I waved him off. “I just fed and can wait for another month. Don't trouble yourself.”  I’d barely registered what he said and tried to focus.   
  


He nodded and gestured to the other men. "My name is Noah, these are my sons- Shem, Ham, and Japheth."   
  


"My name is Starlight."   
  


"Starlight?!" the one that had first spoken asked in amazement. "Starlight the Lucian?"   
  


"Yes," I nodded and attempted to sit up. I was beginning to develop a headache, or at least I assumed that’s what it was. I’d never had one before so I couldn’t be sure. Either way, my head hurt and my thoughts were moving rather sluggishly.   
  


"Then you have seen and talked with the Lord!" These Humans all looked very similar and it was hard to remember who was who in my exhaustion.    
  


"Yes," I said again, smiling weakly. "Many times." I rubbed my eyes and took a steadying breath.   
  


"You are blessed indeed!" Shem (I think it was Shem) exclaimed.    
  


"What's he like?" asked ...Ham? Japheth? The other one- not Shem at any rate.   
  


It took me a second to process the question properly, so I laughed awkwardly to fill the silence. "He's rather hard to explain."   
  


"Well what's he look like?" Japheth? The  _ other _ other one questioned. I  _ really _ needed to get their names straight. I needed... I really needed to  _ sleep _ ! I’d never needed to sleep before and wasn’t exactly sure how or if I could, but I was so tired, it was all I could think about. I leaned against Noah and sighed.   
  


They were all staring expectantly at me and I hesitated as my brow furrowed. I suddenly remembered I’d been asked a question. I racked my brain, but couldn’t for the life of me remember what had been asked so I stalled, "Um what do you mean?"   
  


"Hair color, eye color, that sort of thing!"   
  


"I can never decide," I chucked slightly. "His eyes are all different colors."   
  


"Fine, what about his hair?"   
  


"Brown... Ish." I stifled a yawn.    
  


"Ish? Does it change colors too?"   
  


"Not exactly, it just has so many tones that it doesn't have a set color. There's reddish, lightish, brownish, and darkish colors,” came the  _ especially _ eloquent reply. My mouth was open and I blinked several times trying to decide if it was worth reframing my answer. I quickly decided it wasn’t and closed it again.   
  


"Oh well that's  _ very  _ helpful!" Shem said sarcastically, but I could distantly tell he was joking.   
  


"Boys! Leave her be! She’s dead tired and probably needs to sleep," Noah interrupted the interrogation. He glanced down at me and said softly, "I'm afraid we don't have any spare rooms for you..."   
  


"It's all right, I don't sleep," I mumbled sluggishly. Yup! I was most definitely going to  _ try _ sleeping.   
  


"What?!" Ham exclaimed with heavy disbelief. "Not at all? You certainly look tired to me!"   
  


"No, never," I shook my head with a wry grin. “Although I think I might try it out.”   
  


"What do you at night then?" Japheth asked and I realized I’d finally gotten their names down.   
  


"Whatever I feel like,” I shrugged, “though I usually explore the area. I like making maps. However, with the rise of the Red Eyes, that has sadly become impossible. I have to stay hidden from them. I left all my maps at our campsite..." I trailed off as my mind remembered the panicked expressions on Lily and River’s faces. I hoped they’d made it away safely, but knew in my heart that they were gone. My eyes burned and I blinked rapidly to dispel the tears trying to build up. I was saved from another meltdown when my attention was diverted.   
  


"Why? Aren't you all Vampires?" Shem frowned.   
  


"Vampires?" I was confused. “We’re called Lucians…?”   
  


"It means those who drink blood," he explained.    
  


"Ah. Er, yes, and no. The Red Eyes drink only Human blood and think themselves to be above Humans. I only drink Animals, that's why my eyes are gold. They have sworn to destroy all of my kind, either by recruiting us, or killing us."   
  


"I'm sorry," Japheth’s offered condolence fell flat and he knew it. He smiled reassuringly, then glanced at his father. "May I give her a tour?"   
  


"You,” Ham jokingly accused, brandishing a finger in Japheth’s face, “just want to get out of work for a while!"   
  


"It's true," Japheth laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "However, I don't see any of you volunteering."   
  


"That's because you asked before we could!" Shem exclaimed with a growl. He swung an arm at Japheth, who ducked and retaliated with a grin. I laughed at their banter. They stopped and looked at me as if they had forgotten I was there, before laughing themselves.   
  


"Alright Japheth, give her a tour," Noah said as he got to his feet. "And welcome aboard, miss Lucian." He extended a hand to me and gently pulled me to my feet. They all towered over me, but didn’t seem very menacing, which was a nice change.   
  


"Thank you!" I smiled. Suddenly the whole boat lurched and the Humans fumbled around trying to retain their balance. "Looks like we're floating now!" I said.   
  


"Yes!" Ham clapped his hands excitedly. "It works!"   
  


"Of course it works! We built it!" Japheth rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Come on Lucian! Follow me." He proceeded to take me on a tour of the boat, pointing out the different species housed there. It was very crowded and smelled already. I was dreading what it would be like after several weeks! Coming to the top level again, he stopped before the largest apartment yet, saying, "And this is where the Dragons are staying."   
  


"Dragons?" I asked eagerly. I’d heard of them and seen one flying in the distance before, but had never seen one up close.   
  


"Yes, and be careful," he whispered. "They have excellent hearing and can sense danger. Try not to offend them."   
  


"Alright,” I nodded, “I'll try. Is it true that they can talk?"   
  


"Yes, as I said, don't offend them." He knocked tentatively on the huge door.   
  


"Japheth,” a low feminine voice called out. “Come in!" I heard the shifting of something heavy and the crunch of hay.   
  


"Who have you brought?” The other voice was a deep reverberating bass. “I've never smelled  _ that _ before."    
  


Japheth hefted the door open and nodded towards the opening. "Hello Scale, Flight. This is Starlight the Lucian."   
  


"The first Vampire?" the female asked in amazement. Her coloring was a darker almost muted brown with red undertones. "I thought she had died long ago! My name is Flight. This is my mate Scale. It's a pleasure to meet you."   
  


"Likewise," I said with a bow. I observed them both, and was astounded at their sheer size. I later learned that they were still young and not yet fully grown. Their apartment was fifteen meters long, half that wide, and they  _ still _ barely had enough room to move around.    
  


Scale's deep voice rang out sending vibrations down my spine. "So it's true, her eyes are gold." He was a couple meters smaller than Flight and a deep navy blue color with bright patches of shimmering, almost opaline blues and greens. It reminded me strongly of a dragonfly, which was ironic all things considered.   
  


"Yes," I answered, looking up. "I drink only animals."    
  


"Ah," Scale nodded thoughtfully. "That would be why." He looked me over saying, "You look like a child. How old are you, physically?"   
  


"I believe about five years in human terms, sir." These Dragons made me feel even smaller than usual. At roughly over a meter myself, most things felt large, but I’d yet to encounter something this big, until now. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Japheth lean against the door frame. He seemed to be keeping an eye out for something, as every so often, he’d glance out into the corridor.

  
Flight smiled kindly at me, "Don’t scare the girl, Scale. She is your elder! Miss Lucian, you are more than welcome to visit us whenever you wish."   
  


"Thank you, and please call me Starlight. It’s my name and I don't like titles much."   
  


"Very well, Starlight. Call me Flight."   
  


"Thank you, Flight." I looked at Japheth. He was looking at the hallway over his shoulder and flapped his hand at someone out of view. He looked back at me and smiled apologetically. "I'm afraid I have work to do and must take my leave."   
  


"Of course. Goodbye Japheth." Flight nodded at him.   
  


"See you later!" Japheth gave a little wave as he walked out.

 

I turned back to the Dragons as Flight fixed me with a pointed stare and nodded me closer. I let the door slide shut and reverently walked over. I was still exhausted so I sat down on on a pile of hay. Flight suggested that I might try sleeping and I figured that I may as well try, but I didn’t have any expectations. I  _ was _ able to attain a sort of mental nap type state by slowing down my thoughts, but actual sleep continued to elude me. So instead I turned to the Dragons and was soon lost in conversation about times gone by. 

 

For the next forty days, I spent my most of my time talking with Flight and Scale or helping the Humans with their chores. There was so much to do with all the Animals and they were grateful for my help. At night when everyone slept, I wandered the halls and wished we were able to open the doors or at least a window. It stank, the air was stifling, and I missed Teacher. I hadn't seen him in a few years, and now with the Flood, the Garden would most certainly be gone. And so it was with an ill temper that I thought back to the last thing he’d told me. 

 

We’d been walking by a little stream and talking about life in general, all the places I’d seen, the rise of the Red Eyes, my friends. We stopped to eat some of my favorite fruits and sat down by the bank, dangling our feet in the cool water. I breathed a deep sigh and flopped back onto bank, my eyes closed as I became engrossed in the symphony of the Garden. I don’t know how long we just sat there before Teacher spoke up.

 

"Starlight?" I opened my eyes and saw he’d fixed me with a serious look. "You know, you don't have to come to the Garden to talk to me. I can always hear you wherever you are."   
  


"Really?" I jolted up and breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that took a deep weight off my heart. I’d feared that with the coming Flood and imminent destruction of the Garden, I wouldn’t ever be able to consult my first and dearest friend again.   
  


"Yes, so if you are ever far away and need my help, just ask."   
  


"Thank you Teacher!" I launched myself into his arms and hugged him fiercely. His arms encompassed me and squeezed tightly. And we just stayed like that for a long time, embracing each other and completely content.   
  


Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I smiled and leaned back comfortably into Flight, who was sleeping. Over the weeks we’d been stuck together in close quarters I’d grown very close with the Dragons. I preferred their company over the Humans, and though Noah’s family was very kind, I couldn’t help but be slightly wary of them. I knew rationally that there was no cause for it, they’d been chosen by Teacher, but even still… They were Humans, and Humans had unique flaws that I didn’t understand. That made me wary. I understood my own flaws perfectly well, there were valid reasons why they were there, and I constantly tried to surpass them, but Humans… I shook my head and turned my mind to more uplifting thoughts. Noah was going to send out a bird tomorrow. If it didn't come back, then that meant it had found something to perch on- meaning there was land. Which would be  _ incredibly  _ good news. Everyone was cranky and sore, especially the Dragons, who hadn’t had a chance to stretch out properly in over a month. I’d reluctantly volunteered to go out and search, but luckily Noah didn't want any of the Red Eyes to find me and was strongly against it. He said that with their inner fighting, all who remembered me would eventually die out. Then it would be safe for me to go exploring again. Japheth said that the land had probably changed due to the heavy flooding, so I'd have to make a lot more maps after the Flood. 

 

The next day Noah sent out a dove, and we spent a good five hours waiting to see if it would come back or not. Not only did it come back, but it returned with a leafy twig in its beak. Which was _exceptionally_ good news! We finally hit land later that day on the top of a mountain and gleefully went ashore. Everyone was immensely happy to stretch their legs and have clean air to breath, but none more so than Flight and Scale. They flew all around the countryside and Flight even took me for a ride. While we were cooped up, she’d told me many stories of Dragons and some Humans that would fly around the land vanquishing demons and the like. I’d listen, enraptured by these tales, and wished I could have seen it in action.  
  


The Dragons settled in the caves of the mountain we had landed on, and the Humans took up farming in the valley below. I stuck close, keeping an eye out for my enemy. The easiest escape would be to fly away with one of the Dragons. I’d timed it, and even when I was running at top speed, I was hard pressed to keep up with them simply due to the sheer number of obstacles I encountered on the ground. Flight had suggested I turn some of Noah’s family but I was hesitant to create anymore Vampires. I’d sworn an oath, to never change anyone unless I was  _ completely _ sure that they had a good heart. Which was easier said than done. I had no way of knowing what secrets each one held within their hearts and minds, nor did I particularly care to. I’d accepted the fact that I’d probably never understand Humans and, though it continually irked me, I was able to dismiss my confusion and move on easily enough.    
  


In the years that followed a city sprung up in that valley called Babel. It was one of the biggest cities I had seen yet, and their library was massive! While it didn’t compare to modern day archives, at the time it still held the world record. I loved to sit and read the texts in there, but sadly I could only go at night as I didn't want my presence to be known. I’d asked Noah's family not to tell their children that I lived nearby, to which he’d wholeheartedly agreed, and hoped that my presence would go unnoticed. Of the family, I’d only really gotten to know Noah. I was on good terms with his sons and some of their wives, but he was the only Human who’d also had any contact with Teacher at all and so we bonded fairly easily. We’d have long conversations about human nature and I introduced him to the subject of morals. He also commented on the fact that I tended to place  _ “Significance” _ on things. He politely suggested that, considering Humans didn’t do likewise, using Capital Letters for things would only attract attention to myself- which of course  I was trying to avoid. It was hard to get used to the idea, but I made an effort and Noah eventually agreed that my speech sounded a lot more natural. I still stubbornly insisted on using the capitals for worthy things- like the Dragons and other such beings of Legend. Noah’s response was muttering that in some ways I was more human than the Humans, though I didn’t know what he meant.

 

Besides my friendship with Noah and a limited amount of his family, I continued to cherish my relationship with the Dragons and loved to fly out with them to explore. I helped them raise and teach their children, who I’d race, tell stories, and play with. It was one of these tiny rambunctious spirits, aptly named Flame, who I became very good friends with. He had a fierce temper and was colored bright vermillion with orange wings. My first real recollection of him that set him apart from the rest of his siblings was a mighty sneeze. He’d been quite shocked at the tiny licks of flames that had accompanied the event; and I’ll never forget the expression of abject horror that filled his little eyes as the smoke drifted into them and big fat tears pooled up at the corners in response. He’s clawed at his nose and blinked the sting from his eyes as I tried to stifle my laughter. I’d picked him up, kissed each of his irritated eyes, and told him that next time he wanted to set his bed ablaze, he should make sure to close his second eyelids so he could enjoy the flames without discomfort. As he matured, both in age and in wisdom, we’d go exploring and spend weeks at a time out in the wilderness documenting and just having fun. Eventually we’d explored the surrounding area for hundreds of miles, unnoticed save for a dark smudge in the sky. It was a perfect opportunity for me to make accurate maps of the new landscape and keep a safe watch for any of the Red Eyes.   
  


One day, when Flame was just reaching his majority, we’d just come back from a trip to the ocean. As we flew in over the mountains and the valley came into view, we saw a huge construction site rising up in the center of the city. Wondering what it was, we flew closer and I ducked low on Flame’s back to avoid being seen. "What are they building?"   
  


"It looks like the beginnings of a tower doesn't it?" Flame mused. He circled round several times as we took in the details- the mud bricks, the sweaty workers, the plans and instructions off to one side under a canopy, and the tower itself, unfinished and already at least seventy meters tall. It had several steplike levels getting smaller as they went up, and men dotted the surface, hauling materials to the top.   
  


"Yeah it does...” I frowned in disapproval, for the area had previously been a large garden where people would stroll about in in the evenings. “It's already decently tall. I wonder what it's for." We swooped over the city and landed on its outskirts behind a thick copse of trees as I slid off his back. I turned and started loosening the straps of our gear. We didn’t have much, just my cartography tools and the maps themselves slug around Flame’s neck in a small pack. "I'll go take a look. You go ask your family."   
  


"Alright. I’ll drop our stuff off in my cave. Have fun and be careful! Remember, you look like a human child, albeit a very pretty one." Flame spread his wings and took off for the mountain with a strong updraft. I watched him take off as my hair whipped in the wind, then took off myself.  Running at a medium human speed, I approached the city’s center. Hearing the phrase 'tower to heaven' repeated several times amid the daily gossip, I frowned wondering what this was all about. As I slipped into the market square, I saw a man directing the workers near the canopy. I watched for a while to ensure he was a good person to ask, then sidled up to his left and tapped him on the arm, as it was the highest I could reach.   
  


" _ What? _ " He snapped. His eyes whipped around for a second before they landed on my waving form. "What do you want little girl?” he asked irritably. “I'm busy!"   
  


"What are you building?" I raised the pitch of my voice to sound more innocent, and fixed him with my best curious gaze. I hadn’t fed for a few weeks so my eyes had darkened to a honeyed brown and didn’t stand out much.   
  


"Why, haven't you heard?” He bent down condescendingly, and slowed his speech to a patronizing crawl. “The king has commissioned us to build a tower to heaven! So that we can once again have access to the Lord!" His hand made a flapping gesture at the sky that he assumed was impressive but looked rather awkward to me.   
  


"But you can't build a tower to heaven!” I was perplexed. “Heaven isn't simply in the sky! No matter how high you build, you will just keep reaching air until the air runs out! Then there's only empty space after that."   
  


"Of course you can!” he laughed. “Silly girl, go home to your mother!" He waved me off and turned back to his men, calling out orders.   
  


"But it's true!" I insisted stubbornly. I knew they wouldn’t listen, but he was such a pretentious idiot and he’d incited my temper.   
  


"Go home. Or I will have my men remove you," he glowered at me. “You know nothing, you’re nothing more than an ignorant little welp. Kindly take your stupidity elsewhere and leave us to our mighty work!”   
  


I scowled incredulously at him and tried one last time. "You can try to build your tower as high as you want, but it's really not physically possible. You'll run out of air when you pass the atmosphere and then you'll just be stuck."   
  


"Alright that's it! Guards!" The man turned and shouted at the men holding back the people who’d stopped by the site to watch the progress, while pointing an incensed finger at me.   
  


I gave him one last petty glare and took off running- at a human pace of course. The guards actually attempted to chase after me, so I minutely increased my speed and left them in the dust. That man was so full of himself! Did he honestly believe you could build a tower to heaven? That was just stupid! Like plain old wood, mud, and stone would do anything. You'd need a bunch of strategically placed power sources to open a portal to the in-between world and even then you'd never be able to get in. I realized this must be what Teacher had been referring to when he said that not everyone would accept of the knowledge of the universe and that sometimes I needed to recognize what’s worth my effort and what isn’t. These people obviously weren’t worth my effort. Was this king really that stupid, or was he just so arrogant that he thought he could build a tower to heaven? I was determined to figure it out, but I had to talk to Noah first. I truly hoped he hadn't died while I was away. He _was_ starting to get old after all and Humans only lived so long.

 

I made my way out of the city and into the fields of the valley. Noah’s land was located at the foot of the mountain the Dragons had claimed and was a fair ways from the city. I kept an eye out for any wandering people and increased my speed until I was nothing more than a slight blur across the countryside. Normally, it took half a day to reach the end of the valley at human speed- I arrived within minutes.   
  


"Noah!" I called as I reduced my speed to a light jog, surveying the yard for ill-timed visitors. "Noah!" Luckily few were home at that time of day, and I was relieved when Japheth met me outside the door. He and his brothers took it in turn to assist their father. For some reason Noah’s family’s longevity surpassed any of the other humans, and as you traced the bloodline farther out, the Humans didn’t live as long. I had no idea why that could be, other than some type of molecular influence from interacting with Teacher.    
  


"Starlight! You're back!" He smiled. His voice was now filled with gravel and his face was worn and lined. Japheth had, simply put, gotten old and had great great grandchildren by now, though he was still able to putter about fairly comfortably.    
  


"Where's Noah?" I gave him a brief hug and slipped through the door.    
  


"He's inside,” Japheth turned after me as I pushed by him. “What's your hurry?"   
  


"Have you heard about that tower they’re building in the city?" I made my way down the corridor to the main room at a subdued pace, as Japheth laid a hand on my shoulder.   
  


"Yes, they're stupid aren't they?" He snorted as we passed the kitchen.   
  


"Yes! Does  _ everyone _ think they can do it?" I caught sight of a basket of fruit on the table and thought wistfully of the Garden. I’d never been able to stomach anything other than blood outside that safe haven.   
  


Japheth sighed heavily, "I believe so, yes."   
  


I gaped at him in utter disbelief. "Really? That's- They're- They’re idiots! That's all  _ I've _ got to say." I led him into the main room and smiled at the sight of Noah.   
  


He was sitting in his chair, which nowadays he never left, in the main room talking to Shem. His face was wizened and all the hair he had left was snow white. "Starlight!” he croaked. “What a surprise! You're back! How are you?"   
  


"I'm just fine, it's the  _ idiots _ ,” I threw up my hands in disgust, “ in the city I'm worried about." I flung myself onto an empty seat and crossed my arms with no small amount of resentment.   
  


"Ah,” he nodded, “I see you've heard about the tower then."   
  


" _ Yes, _ " I bit out.   
  


"I'm sorry Star, I've tried to talk sense into them. However-"   
  


"They kicked us out!" Shem interrupted indignantly. His voice raised to a shrill pitch. "The whole family,  _ orders of the king _ ."   
  


"Let me talk to this king!" I growled. "No one kicks my friends out!"   
  


"You’re welcome to try,” Noah said morosely. “But I doubt there's anything you can do. I’ve asked the Lord and he told me that if the people continued to be so arrogant and foolish he would knock their tower down. When I told this to the king, he threw us out."  He shook his head, "I fear for them."   
  


"Well I think they're stupid! Why won't they listen?"   
  


"I am getting old," Noah replied simply.   
  


"So?" I demanded, "That shouldn't matter!"   
  


"They simply don't trust my judgment anymore. They think me old and senile, and harbor a fair amount of resentment towards my age I believe. I think they’re becoming jealous, and jealousy quickly turns to hate and breeds fear."   
  


"Well I'm going to talk to them!" I turned and started moving briskly out of the room.   
  


"Starlight," Noah warned and I reached the door. "Don't act rashly. Be safe."   
  


"I won't, I will!" I called as I sped away, once again only a blur. On my way back to the city, I considered what to do. No one of would take a child seriously, especially not a  _ female _ child. I rolled my eyes and dismissed the thought. There was nothing I could do about it, but I may be able to play on their own naive thinking patterns, if indeed they were as intelligent as they seemed. Now, how to get an audience with a king? I slowed my pace as I neared the city, and took a less direct route to the center, this time coming from behind the palace. I casually glanced around and, when no one was looking, jumped up onto one of the balconies. I ducked inside and grabbed the nearest prop I found, which happened to be a water jug, and started wandering around.   
  


I'd never been in the palace before, seeing as I tried to avoid the city more often than not. Guessing the king would most likely be found near the center of the building, I started winding my way in. I walked with purpose, pretending I was supposed to be there, and though there were a few servants around, no one stopped me. I eventually passed two huge doors with guards stationed on either side, and stopped to assess the situation. I guard on the right spoke up and asked, "What are you doing here child?" He seemed to be amused with my sudden appearance and I hoped he wouldn’t immediately send me away.   
  


"I need to talk to the king. Do you know where I can find him?" I turned up the childish charm I possessed and smiled sweetly at him.   
  


"Yes I do, can you tell me why you want to talk to him?" He asked, bending down with a grin. He looked me up and down and smiled oddly. I was suddenly uncomfortable and had no idea why. It must have been something in his eyes or manner that alerted me, but I got the distinct impression that he liked me a little too much.   
  


"How do you think she got in?" The other guard mused. He merely seemed confused at my presence and glanced at his companion.   
  


"I don't know. Should we let her in?" His eyes trailed across my little form with a raised brow. I held the jar securely in front of me in a fruitless attempt to block his intent gaze.    
  


"Please," I begged. "It's really  _ really _ important!"   
  


"Might as well,” the second guard shrugged. “She's cute, and I think Nimrod will like her."   
  


"Alright, child, just a moment." The sleazy guard disappeared behind the door for a moment before he reappeared and gestured for me to enter. I tried to slip past him, but he put a hand on my shoulder, and though I could have easily thrown him on his ass, I hid my grimace and allowed the hand to remain. I let him steer me into a big room with a throne on the other end and a balcony to our left. Standing on the balcony was the king. He was alone in the room, surprisingly, and was looking out over the new construction site. He cut an nondescript figure, save for the fine cloth his clothes were woven from, and he glanced over as we approached. "Here she is my lord, as you requested," the guard said with a bow. He placed his other hand on my head and ruffled my hair before he turned and walked back out. I suppressed a little shudder and shook the imaginary yuck off with a shake of my head.   
  


The king focused his attention on me in amusement and smiled, "Hello girl. I hear you have something important to tell me?"   
  


I nodded enigmatically and put down the jug I had almost crushed in my unease. I had to play this right or he would just laugh and sent me away. Now how to approach this? "My name is Princess Luci from the kingdom of Transylvania. I was sent to find out the source of certain rumors." I held my head high and looked deep into his eyes, trying to act regal. I was hoping that if I could make him believe I was royalty, I would get somewhere with him.   
  


He blinked at me and his voice took on a dreamy tone. "Transylvania? Where is that?" I suddenly realized that my gaze must have had a slight hypnotic quality to it, and I was thrilled. This was perfect! I continued on with confidence, keeping eye contact to sell the story.   
  


"It is to the north across an ocean and my company and I have traveled far. Unfortunately we were hit by a vicious storm during the crossing and only a few survived. I washed ashore and was found among the wreckage by two of my servants. Very little survived the waters and we had next to no food or supplies. My servants starved themselves to keep me fed and I am the only one left. I would ask to send a message to my mother and father, saying that their only son has perished and their daughter is safe." I put on my best drowned puppy face and congratulated myself on my impromptu storytelling ability. It was all a complete lie, but I didn’t think the story could hurt anyone, so I felt justified. And besides, it wasn’t my fault if he was dumb enough to believe it! I realize now, my thinking was flawed, but at the time, I was immensely proud of myself.   
  


"Uh…” The king floundered for a moment, as the story registered in his mind. “Of course. I'll have someone go right away, your highness. Lucy, was it?"   
  


He pronounced it with an odd accent but I decided it close enough. He also didn’t seem to realize that the likelihood of another fully fledged kingdom to the north so soon after the Flood was a bit sketchy. "Yes my liege, and you are?"   
  


"King Nimrod of Babel. You said you had heard rumors?"   
  


"Of some tower to heaven?"   
  


"Yes!” His eyes lit up, and he gestured towards the construction site. “I’ve commissioned a tower to be built so that we can go to heaven and talk once more with the Lord!"   
  


I glanced at the tower and mentally rolled up my sleeves. My let eyes go wide at his proud statement and my next words were beseeching. "Nimrod, king, I come carrying grave news! Transylvania has tried to build such a tower, but the Lord was _ angered _ by our arrogance and foolishness to think that we could build something to heaven!” My tone grew overly dramatic as I continued, “He caused our tower to  _ crumble _ and our capital to  _ burn _ ! If I were you I would not build this tower unless you seek  _ destruction _ ." I finished by resting my hand against my heart and closing my eyes as fat tears rolled down my cheeks.   
  


Nimrod's eyes widened and he gasped, "Oh my! Of course we do not want destruction! I will stop the construction at once." He mirrored my gesture and clutched at his robes.   
  


I was hard pressed to keep a straight face at this point, but I also felt bad for him. He was so easy to take advantage of, that I almost feared what he’d go along with the next time someone came in to hoodwink him. I shook my head and suggested, "I do not think you must stop building the tower, only stop presuming you can build it to heaven."   
  


"Ah! Yes,” he wagged his finger with panache, “we don’t want to waste the materials do we?"   
  


"Of course not, perhaps-" I abruptly cut off by the reentry of the sleazy guard.   
  


"King Nimrod! The head craftsman in charge of the Tower is here to give a report,” he announced. His eyes fell upon me and this time I glared at him. His indulgent gaze swiftly turned outright leery and he unconsciously licked his lips.    
  


"Ah! Good! Send him in, I have news to tell him!" Nimrod said and waved him out. The man who stepped in after he’d left caused my stomach to flip.   
  


I watched with a sinking heart as the foreman I’d talked to from the street swaggered in. I surreptitiously ducked behind the king. "My liege,” he began, “the tower is coming along nicely-"   
  


"Yes, yes!" Nimrod interrupted impatiently. "Change of plans, we are not building a tower to heaven. We are building a new..." He glanced around for me, stepping out of the way.   
  


"A new library!" I squeaked, hoping...   
  


"You!” The foreman screeched indignantly. “What are  _ you _ doing here?"   
  


Nimrod glared at the man. " _ This _ ,” he stated pointedly, “is the princess of..."   
  


"Transylvania," I supplied weakly.   
  


"Yes that, her company was lost along the way and she has traveled far to bring us a warning."   
  


" _ A princess _ ?” The man mocked. “That is no princess! I saw her in the street this very morning! She was a naysayer, talking about how we could not possibly build a tower to heaven! How did she get in here? Talking of running out of air! Nonsense! She is no princess!" He accused.   
  


Nimrod turned to me with a frigid glare and called out in an astoundingly high pitch, "An  _ imposter _ ! Guards arrest her!"   
  


"Uh oh, gotta go!" I said and leapt right off the balcony. I jumped down several levels of balconies and courtyards, making sure to stumble several times, and landed in the middle of the crowd during peak market hours. Suffice it to say, I disappeared into the throng and managed to get away in record time. Deciding not to run back to Noah's house, I hurried towards the mountains to find Flame.   
  


The mountain was honeycombed with a system of caves that ran deep underground. Many of the Dragons preferred the deeper caves, but Flame had set himself up near the surface as he was gone most of the time and preferred to go in and out at his convenience. As I reached the entrance to his cave, I called out, "Flame! You’d better be home because I've got news!"   
  


"Yes?" he said, coming around outside on the path behind me.   
  


"Oh there you are,” I turned, “guess what they're building in the city!"   
  


"A tower to heaven?" He snorted in amusement.   
  


"Yes! I even tried persuading the king and managed to get him to stop building it, but then the head worker came in and busted me! That king Nimrod is more easily swayed than the general angry mob!"   
  


"So I've heard,” Flame nodded. “What should we do?"   
  


"I have an idea, and it involves some of your friends," I said cryptically with a devious smile.


End file.
